15 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Ankara

Even though lahmacun is popularly nicknamed Turkish pizza, it's origin is disputed and can be traced to Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkiye. It can be found at numerous street stalls as well as in virtually any traditional restaurant, but also in kebab eateries where they typically serve mini lahmacuns as appetizers. The perfect lahmacun is made by rolling a ball of sturdy semolina dough into a thin disc which is only lightly spread with meat - either lamb or beef, minced to a paste together with chili, onions, and other seasonings. The dish is then shortly baked in a super-hot (and preferably wood-fired) oven. Lahmacun is best served hot with a drizzle of lemon juice. It is traditionally enjoyed folded around the crispy onions and a parsley salad known as piyaz. It is recommended to pair lahmacun either with the salty, cold yogurt beverage called ayran, or şalgam suyu, the barrel-fermented juice of red carrot pickles, which is salted, spiced, and flavored with the aromatic turnip called çelem.Expand

Kokoreç is a traditional dish that's also popular in other countries, especially in Greece, where it's known as kokoretsi. However, there are some differences between the Turkish and Greek versions. In Greek cuisine, people use lamb offal such as lungs, kidneys, hearts, and liver, and in Türkiye, they use small and large intestine and sweetbreads without any additional ingredients. For the Turkish version, kokoreç, the ingredients are rinsed and cleaned, then wrapped onto iron skewers to be grilled over charcoal. Once done, the dish is usually served with bread or tucked inside the bread with various spices such as oregano, cumin, and chili flakes. You can find this dish at street food vendors or in countless kokoreç restaurants.Expand

Ankara tava is a traditional dish originating from Ankara. The dish is often made with a combination of lamb, orzo pasta, oil, hot peppers, tomatoes, onions, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper. The peppers and onions are seasoned with cumin and black pepper, then cooked in oil with tomato paste, garlic, and tomatoes in order to make a tomato sauce. The meat is cubed and cooked in a bit of water until it evaporates. The small orzo pasta is cooked in a pilaf pot with the tomato sauce and some water until tender. Once done, the cooked meat is mixed with the contents of the pilaf and the dish is ready to be served. The lamb is sometimes replaced with veal or sheep meat, while the pasta can be replaced with vermicelli.Expand

Bulgur pilavı is a nutritious Turkish pilaf that is often additionally flavored with onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and various spices. When the bulgur is tender and ready to consume, it is recommended to garnish it with fresh parsley. The dish is typically served as an accompaniment to casseroles or meat dishes such as kebap, izgara, and köfte.Expand

A specialty of the city of Bursa, İskender kebap is named after a butcher called İskender Efendi, who first prepared this flavorful dish. It consists of thinly sliced lamb that is grilled and combined with a spicy tomato sauce and pita bread, while melted sheep butter and yogurt are traditionally drizzled over the dish at the table. It is recommended to pair this kebap with şıra, a Turkish beverage that is known to aid digestion.Expand

Manti are traditional Turkish dumplings filled with spiced ground meat and onions. The dumplings are most commonly topped with a sauce consisting of yogurt and garlic. The name of the dish is derived from mantu, meaning dumplings, and they were originally brought over from Central Asia to Türkiye by nomadic Turkish tribes in the 13th century. Today, manti dumplings are popular throughout Turkey, as well as in numerous other cuisines such as Armenian, Afghan, and Central Asian.Expand

Gözleme is a Turkish flatbread consisting of flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and yogurt, which prevents the flatbread from going too brittle. The dough is filled with ingredients such as meat, vegetables, eggs, various cheeses, or mushrooms, and is then baked on a sac griddle. Originally, gözleme was served for breakfast or as a light afternoon snack, but today it has a status of popular fast food that can be found throughout the country's restaurants, food carts, and cafés.Expand

Bazlama is a Turkish flatbread that is traditionally cooked in an outdoor oven and served warm. It consists of flour, water, sugar, salt, yeast, and yogurt. During baking, bazlama is regularly flipped over in order to be evenly baked. The bread is often served with butter or olive oil, which is used as a dip.Expand

İşkembe çorbası is a traditional tripe soup that is known as a great hangover cure. It consists of tripe, water, milk, flour, butter, and egg yolks. The soup is usually seasoned with salt and finished with red pepper, vinegar, and garlic, giving it a bold flavor. It is recommended to serve the soup while still hot.Expand

Çoban salatası or shepherd's salad is a traditional salad that can be found throughout the country, especially during summer. It's also popular in Azerbaijanai cuisine. The salad is made with a combination of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, green peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley. The ingredients are finely chopped, dressed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, then mixed together. It's recommended to serve this simple salad with crusty bread on the side for mopping up the juices.Expand